Karam Al Zouhir - Viola Tales of Exile

With his debut solo EP, Karam Al Zouhir transforms the experience of uprooting into a vibrant musical performance. Originally from Damascus and now based between Marseille and Strasbourg, he places the viola at the very heart of his creative work: a rare instrument for solo performance, whose woody timbre and depth he explores to narrate the concept of the “elsewhere.”

Mashka Daym (Viola Tales of Exile) is a multifaceted work where creative music encounters the poetry of Konstantinos Kavafis (Greece), Salwa Zakzak (Syria), and André Weckmann (Alsace). At the crossroads of ancient poetry and contemporary creative music, the viola becomes the solo voice of a universal and poetic experience of exile.

More than just a concert, Mashka Daym is a testament to memory and belonging, where ancient travel narratives resonate with the realities of today. On stage, using his voice and his viola, Karam Al Zouhir creates a bond with the audience, delivering a message of hope: home is not just a land, but also a scent, an accent and a shared melody.

First set:
Karam Al Zouhir, viola

Second set:
Karam Al Zouhir, viola
Oene van Geel, 5-string violin
Modar Salam, percussion

Album Mashka Daym on Bandcamp.